Frequently Asked
Question: How do I get a copy of these
out-of-print books?

Answer: Try
local libraries, used book stores and antique shops. Also try the
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Amazon.com,
and Yahoo...
particularly Ebay. Sooner or later, just about everything shows up
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you to "preorder" a used copy of any book in its massive listing. IHS
is not a source of these books unless otherwise
noted.

This is a book on how to design, build, and fly hydrofoil boats. It begins with the history and theory of hydrofoils, and continues with an explanation of flight characteristics, such as; stability, control, lift, drag, cavitation, and ventilation. Foil configurations, weight and balance, flying height, and roll management are covered as well as calculations of stress, hull configuration, and wing sizing. One section demonstrates methods for comparing designs, and explores specific design ideas for motorized, human powered, and sail powered hydrofoils. Piloting and trouble shooting are followed by a bibliography and index. This very complete 265 page book includes over 270 illustrations, charts and tables on the subject of creating hydrofoil boats. Because hydrofoils fly like airplanes, except in a denser fluid, the book's subject could be described as aerodynamics adapted to hydrofoils. It is the best book available for hydrofoil enthusiasts. There is no other book like it.

Matveev Konstantin He has recently co-authored, with V. Dubrovsky and S. Sutulo, the book Small Waterplane Area Ships. In particular, he wrote a section on hydrofoils that provides simplified engineering methods for calculating lift and drag of low and high aspect ratio foils (including free surface effects), cavitation onset, vortex wash and wake behind a foil, and unsteady effects. Appendix G is on dynamic unloading and foil design, More information about this book and ordering information can be found at the Backbone Publishing web-site http://www.backbonepublishing.com/DreamHC/Page1.html. (070418 wnw)

Parkin, J. H., Bell and Baldwin:
Their Development of Aerodromes and Hydrodromes at Baddeck,
Mova Scotia, University of Toronto Press 1964. Contains
historical description and photographs of the Bell/Baldwin
Hydrodromes HD-1 through HD-4. This book also describes the
continuation of the HD series, starting with HD-7, by
"Casey" Baldwin after Bell's death and after the failure to
interest the Navy in towed hydrofoil targets. According to
the book, several hypothetical designs were developed over
the years, HD-7 through HD- 20, but only HD-12, a 30-foot
runabout, and HD-13, an outboard motor hydrofoil boat, were
actually built, both in 1928. Other hydrofoil topics include
use of foils on seaplane landing gear dating back to 1908;
renewed efforts on hydrofoil targets 1940-43, including both
towed and self-propelled, radio controlled versions; and a
hydrofoil smoke-laying craft designed to replace aircraft
for performing this function to shield troop landings from
the sea.

Hatcher, Vic; Australian Ships,
Published by Rigby Limited, Australia (Rigby Opal Books),
first published in 1974. ISBN 0 85179 745 8. This short,
30-page children's book with text and illustrations by Vic
Hatcher covers thirteen nautical themes, one of which is
hydrofoils. A page of text is allocated to hydrofoils and
hovercraft, and the cover illustration of the 140 passenger
PT 50 hydrofoil FAIRLIGHT is again repeated in that
section of the book.

Ewart, W. D., Hydroplanes and
Hovercraft, Illustrated by Kenneth M. Sibley, The
Mechanical Age Library series, Frederick Muller LTD London
1962. "This book is about the hydrofoil and the hovercraft
and describes in nontechnical language how each type of
craft is designed and operated."

Cagle, RADM Malcom W., USN, Flying
Ships: Hovercraft and Hydrofoils, Dodd, Mead & Co.
New York, 1970. "This book is written to explain the
potential and promise of ships that fly -- the special
effects ships, hovercraft, air cushion vehicles, hydrofoils,
and captured air bubble craft which will play an
increasingly important role in the field of ocean travel and
transportation, sporting, and naval affairs over the next
quarter century. It is particularly directed to those young
people who are at the point of choosing their career and
life's work."

McLeavy, Roy, Hovercraft &
Hydrofoils, Arco Color Series Guide (1977), Paperbound
7.5" by 5.25." 200+ pages. (Also Blandford Colour Series,
1976) Almost 80 glossy pages in full color show
illustrations of all sorts of craft, including theory and
operation. Covers personal watercraft, commercial vessels,
and military ships and craft. From Chapter 4, Ships That
Fly: "Despite the undoubted success of the Supramar PT
10 FRECCIA d'ORO on Lake Maggiore in 1953, the great
majority of shipping companies argued fiercely against the
idea of introducing hydrofoils on their own ferry services.
It took von Schertel and the indefatigable Rodriquez five
years of sales tours, lectures, and route presentations
before shipowners began to forget their deep-rooted
prejudices against 'novel craft.' Representing a complete
breakaway from the traditional passenger ferry, the
hydrofoils proved an instant success wherever they were
introduced." Also published in Russian: Roy Maklivi. Suda NA
podvodnykh krylyakh i vozdushnoy podushke. L.,
Sudostroyenie, 1981

Gunston, Bill, Hydrofoils and
Hovercraft, New Vehicles For Sea and Land, 1970,
Doubleday & Company, the Doubleday Science series.
Illustrated with many color photographs and diagrams.
Hydrofoil-specific chapters cover both hydrofoil principles
and achievements. Topics covered under Principles include
How a Hydrofoil Works, Surface-Piercing Foils, Air
Stabilization, Submerged Foils, Cavitation, Propulsion,
Structure and Materials. In the Achievements Chapter are
photos and descriptions of contemporary hydrofoils around
the world ranging from the small (hydrofoil-supported water
skis, Renato Castillani's 1-person hydrofoil, and Anglian
Development's Hi-Foil 2), to medium (SEA RANGER), to
large (a full range of military and commercial vessels). A
"World Table of Principal Hydrofoils" has such interesting
"sport" entries as Water Spyder 2-B (Canada), Eidai YODO-14
and YODO-16 (Japan), WS-4 Amor (Poloand), Molnya and Volga
(Russia), as well as many commercial and military vessels
from around the world.

Watts, Anthony, A Source Book of Hydrofoils and
Hovercraft, Ward Lock Ltd of London 1978, hardback measuring 6.5
x 4.5 inches - 127 pages fully illustrated in black and white. Notes
from the book: "This Source Book describes briefly and in
straightforward terms the history and development of the hovercraft
and hydrofoil. Some of the earliest designs are described and
illustrated as well as exciting future developments which might one
day replace the conventional ship as an ocean-going form of
transport. Over fifty of the most important types of hovercraft and
hydrofoil are illustrated with drawings and photographs. The
illustrations are accompanied by a brief description and the main
technical specifications. Anthony Watts is a well-known naval
author, having written over a dozen books, including A Source
Book of Submarines and Submersibles. He is also a contributor to
a number of naval journals. The jacket picture, reproduced by
courtesy of the British Hovercraft Corporation Limited, shows a SR.
N4 Mk 2 hovercraft en route from Ramsgate to Calais."

Anderson, Dr. Donald, "Hydrofoils and
Hovercraft," Ships Annual1967, , W. Paul
Clegg, editor, Ian Allen Ltd., London, publisher. pp
10 -14. Ships Annual is a companion to the monthly
magazine Ships Illustrated, "The first really
national magazine devoted to the needs of ship lovers and
enthusiasts." This article is mostly devoted to hovercraft.
It has two hydrofoil photographs, of ALBATROS on Lake
Geneva and CONDOR I, "the first hydrofoil to operate
in Channel Island waters." Excerpt: "...[hydrofoils]
have proved particularly useful in Scandinavian waters where
they can provide rapid links by sea between towns which are
separated by long and arduous road routes. One such service
operates between Bergen and Stavanger."

Jane's Pocket Book 21 - Hovercraft
and Hydrofoils, Edited by Roy McLeavy. Published by
Jane's Publishing Company, London. First published 1980.
ISBN 0 354 01213 4 (cased), ISBN 0 354 01212 6 (PVC). This
255 page book of approximately 18x12cm size covers a large
range of hydrofoil and hovercraft types. Each type is
described in one page with a black and white photo on the
accompanying page. This is essentially a trimmed down ready
reference pocket sized version of the Jane's Surface
Skimmers yearbook.

Jane's Surface Skimmers -
Hovercraft and Hydrofoils - 1978, Edited by Roy McLeavy.
Published by Macdonald and Jane's Publishers Limited,
London. ISBN 0 354 00554 5. The cover illustration is for
the eleventh edition of this yearbook which was first
published in 1967-68. This 408 page book of approximately
22x33cm size covers a large range of hydrofoil and
hovercraft types of the time, both civil and military, as
well as monorail / magnetic levitation trains and air
cushion pallet and conveyor systems. Power plants suitable
for such craft are also covered in the book. This is one of
the most comprehensive sources of data for the various
hydrofoils that have been built over the years. The
information is updated annually and identifies hydrofoils
currently in production. The yearbook for a time was
published as Jane's High-Speed Marine Craft but is
now published as Jane's High-Speed Marine Transportation
and while it no longer covers land based systems or
military craft, it instead includes high speed monohulls,
catamarans, SWATH, and other types giving it complete
coverage of this sector. To obtain information on hydrofoils
that are out of production, it is necessary to refer to an
edition from an appropriate year. For current military
hydrofoils, refer to Jane's Fighting Ships.

Meyer, John R., Jr., Ships That Fly. 252
pages. Self Published 2004. The author is President of the
International Hydrofoil Society. This is the story of the modern
hydrofoil on a CD. The story covers the early days of hydrofoil
inventors and experimenters, and takes the reader through over 170
pictures and illustrations of hydrofoils leading to those of recent
years. The book starts a relatively small number of the host of
early inventors and experimenters who provided the foundation for
later work. Then came the creative Italians who reduced their
patented ideas to practice. Next: the highly respected work of
Alexander Graham Bell, several Americans, and of course the German
contributions of von Schertel and Tietjens. During the 1950s, which
has been called the "Decade of Experimental Progress", a large
number of hydrofoil craft were built. For the high speeds of 80 to
100 knots that were envisioned by the more aggressive hydrofoilers
at that time, it was necessary to expand the technical data base,
and hence, several large scale test vehicles were built. The product
of this technical information was an aggressive U.S. Navy program
starting in the 1960s with the development of four hydrofoils,
namely: HIGH POINT, FLAGSTAFF, TUCUMCARI, and PLAINVIEW.
Simultaneously the Canadians and Europeans proceeded with hydrofoil
developments, although along completely different lines than the
U.S. Navy. Culmination of the U.S. Navy developments was the Navy
Fleet hydrofoil - the PHM - which occupies a special place not only
in this book, but in the hearts and minds of so many of the
hydrofoilers in this country. PHM's history with its early
connection to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the
program's subsequent trials and tribulations, and formation of a
Squadron of six hydrofoils at Key West, Florida, is an important
part of the modern hydrofoil era. For the technically inclined
reader, the chapter on why and how hydrofoils fly will be of
particular interest. Then too, after you lift the hull out of the
water, how do you stabilize, power, maneuver and control such a
craft so it doesn't crash into waves rather than glide gently above
the waves? Answers to these questions and an Appendix containing
sketches and drawings of many hydrofoils described rounds out the
technical aspects of the book. There are thousands of hydrofoils in
operation around the world, except for the United States. These
craft, and the dearth of same in the U.S. are described and
explained. And of course, everyone wants to know about the future -
what's next? The author humbly provides his version of the hydrofoil
crystal ball.

Hook, Christopher and Kermode, A.C.,
Hydrofoils - Without Formulae Series (No. 16?),
Pitman Paperbacks, Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons Limited,
London, 1967. A 252 page book in a compact paperback novel
size. As the title suggests, this book is written in a
manner that is easy to follow without getting into the
mathematics. The coverage of hydrofoil design features is
quite broad, however the book concentrates on resistance of
hydrofoils and means of ensuring their stability and smooth
ride in waves. One of the authors, Christopher Hook was an
early advocate of fully submerged hydrofoil designs and
without the benefit of sophisticated electronic autopilot
systems, he developed a system of mechanical surface sensors
for control of the attitude of such craft. This aspect is
covered fairly well in the book. The book is illustrated
with a number of sketches, diagrams, and graphs and also
includes black and white photos of early experimental
hydrofoils as well as military and commercial hydrofoils
that had been built at the time the book was
published.

Teale, John, Fast Boats, one of
a series of books for yachtsmen published by Temple Press,
London in the 1960'. This book, published in 1964, and
measuring 14 x 22 cm, with 116 pages, is devoted entirely to
small high-speed craft and power boats. It surveys the great
variety of possible hull shapes and demonstrates their
particular advantages and disadvantages by analyzing
representative craft built to these varying designs. The
book deals with racing dinghies, hard-chine power boats,
sea-sleds, hydrofoils, catamarans and trimarans.

Carse, Robert, Ocean Challenge -
The New U.S. Merchant Marine, W.W. Norton & Co. New
York 1967. B&W photos. See Chapter 8 for information on
Advanced Marine Vehicles, including hydrofoils. From the
text: "... ALBATROSS and the rest of the fleet
continue to render steady service. They made more than
10,000 World's Fair trips, carried over 850,000 passengers,
and never missed a trip. The fleet captains have become
famous for their skill in navigating the debris-strewn East
River and the tricky currents of Hell Gate." Other
hydrofoils discussed briefly in this chapter include USS
PLAINVIEW and LITTLE SQUIRT.

King, H.F., Aeromarine Origins, The
Beginnings of Marine Aircraft, Winged Hulls, Air-cushion and
Air-Lubricated Craft, Planing Boats and Hydrofoils,
Putnam and Company Ltd (London), Aero Publishers, Inc.
(Fallbrook CA, USA). Library of Congress Catalog No.
66-20105, 1966. H. F. King was formerly editor of Flight
International and Air-Cushion Vehicles.
"...stimulated by work in Italy, Lt C. D. Burney, RN,
persuaded the British and Colonial Aeroplane Co. Ltd. to
undertake a design and development programme for aircraft
having hydrofoil undercarriages. The first design, the X.1,
was for a biplane; but this was abandoned. The X.2 was a
monoplane with a boat hull which, after various trials and
modification, succeeded in becoming airborne. Unhappily it
crashed almost immediately, owing to the premature slipping
of the tow from a Naval torpedo boat. The X.3 was larger and
more refined, but never became airborne. In June 1914 it was
taxied into a hidden sandbank and, following withdrawal of
Admiralty support, the experiments were discontinued..."
Many other pioneering hydrofoil applications are discussed,
most with contemporary drawings or photos, including: early
(1907) Wright brothers experiments with hydrofoils for their
aircraft on Miami River in Dayton, Ohio; several schemes for
hydrofoils on seaplanes by Guidoni after 1910; Glenn
Curtiss's successful Jan 26,1911 take-off from water with
his aircraft fitted with a forward-mounted 6-foot hydrofoil;
Commander Oliver Schwann's AVRO fitted with several
different sets of floats and employing hydrofoils, first
successfully leaving the water in 1911; the FLYING
FISH, built by the Michigan Steel Boat Co in 1991, which
flew with its tail in the water (a hydrofoil was mounted
under the metal hull); early experiments in varying the
draught of ships and improving ride (minimizing tendency to
roll) using adjustable fins on each side of the vessel by
G.W. Napier; a model craft with adjustable foils constructed
in 1895, and an "air cushion hydrofoil constructed in 1904,
both by Frenchman Clement Ader; a steam-powered hydrofoil
tested by the Comte de Lambert in 1897; the Enrico Forlanini
hydrofoil boat of 1906; the hydrofoil boat of Crocco and
Ricaldoni of 1907; William M. Meacham's hydrofoil
experiments in 1897, and his competition with S. A. Reeve
for the patent; the 1907 hydrofoil craft of Alberto
Santos-Dumont, and the 1907 hydrofoil craft built and tested
by Peter Cooper Hewitt, the American inventor of the
mercury-vapor lamp; and finally, Sir John Thornycroft's 1909
MIRANDA III, which used the mudguard
principle.

Wheeler, Raymond L.; From River to
Sea - The Marine Heritage of Sam Saunders, Cross
Publishing, Newport, Isle of Wight, UK, 1993. ISBN 1 873295
05 7 (Hardback). As the name of the book suggests, it deals
primarily with the maritime activities of the companies that
had their origins with Sam Saunders. This is the second of
two closely related books, the first having been titled From
Sea to Air - The Heritage of Sam Saunders and jointly
authored with Albert E. Tagg. While the first book
concentrated mainly on the aviation history of the company
principally known as Saunders Roe, From River to Sea looks
more closely at the boats, hydrofoils and hovercraft that
were developed by that company and its successors. Apart
from the wealth of information, photos and sketches
concerning the development of the hovercraft from the SRN1
through to the SRN4, this book also deals with the briefer
period of hydrofoil development work by the Saunders Roe
company in support of the Canadian naval hydrofoil program.
This led to the construction in 1956/57 of the 59 foot long
hydrofoil vessel R-103 Bras D'Or which was equipped with
ladder foils. The Bras D'Or was subsequently re-named
Baddeck in 1962 in anticipation of the construction of the
proposed larger FHE-400 which was to be given the name Bras
D'Or. The development of the FHE-400 is covered in the book
The Flying 400 - Canada's Hydrofoil Project by Thomas G.
Lynch. The author of From River to Sea joined Saunders Roe
in 1945 as an apprentice and by 1962 had been appointed as
the Chief Designer of British Hovercraft Corporation
Ltd.

Lynch, Thomas G., The Flying 400 -
Canada's Hydrofoil Project, Nimbus Publishing Limited,
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, 1983, ISBN 0-920852-22-X. A
128 page book tracing the history of the Canadian naval
hydrofoil development program culminating in the development
of HMCS BRAS d'OR (FHE-400). The hydrofoil was
developed mainly for the role of Anti Submarine Warfare
(ASW) however the Canadian hydrofoil program was eventually
cancelled. The book is illustrated with a number of black
and white photos and drawings of HMCS BRAS d'OR and
smaller developmental hydrofoils produced as part of the
Canadian naval hydrofoil development program (there are not
enough dimensions on the drawings for modeling purposes).
The book also provides technical details of those hydrofoils
and concludes with an overview of other naval
hydrofoils.

Mallan, Lloyd, The Complete Book of
Kit Boats, The Bobbs-Merrill Co., Inc., 1955, Maco
Magazine Corp. "You can have any boat you want at 1/3 the
cost by assembling it yourself ." Photos and drawings of
various boats, but no complete plans; gives times to build.
Book measures 6-3/4" x 9 1/2". 145 pages. Contains a two
page description and photos of an add-on hydrofoil kit for
motorboats offered by Baker Manufacturing Co. "The
hydrofoils are designed so that they can be simply extended
into the water or folded up out of use along the sides of
the boat, merely by turning a crank. They are not readily
detachable, but this is seldom desired... The Office of
Naval Research has stimulated a great amount of interest in
[hydrofoils] by boating enthusiasts. It has also
done much to popularize the Baker hydrofoil in kit form, a
direct result of the Navy experiments."

Hynds, Paul; Worldwide High Speed
Ferries, Conway Maritime Press Limited, London, 1992.
ISBN 0 85177 587 X. An up to date review of the craft types
that are in operation as high speed ferries around the
world. The book includes numerous general arrangement
drawings and black and white photographs of different ferry
types covering monohulls, catamarans, hovercraft, surface
effect ships, hydrofoils and SWATH craft. A listing of
worldwide high speed ferry operators at the time is included
as an appendix with the names of the craft operated by each
company. While the book does not cover the full range of
vessel types in each category, it does describe some of the
most common types. In the case of hydrofoils, the Supramar
PT20, Rodriquez RHS70, RHS140, RHS160, RHS160F and RHS200 as
well as the Boeing (Kawasaki) Jetfoil are
featured.

Du Cane, Peter High-Speed Small
Craft , David and Charles (Holdings) Limited, Devon,
1974, Fourth Edition, Chapter 3, pp 12-54, Eames,
M.C., "Principles of
Hydrofoils." This chapter of Peter Du Cane's book was
written by a man who really understood hydrofoil design as
he was deeply involved in the Canadian naval hydrofoil
project which led to the construction of FHE-400 BRAS
d'OR. Michael Eames has presented his notes in a way
that can be digested with relative ease. The book contains
465 pages and covers types and principles of hydrofoils,
hovercraft, seaworthiness, maneuverability, design process,
materials, structures, machinery, transmission, reverse
gear, cruising engines, steering gear, and more.

Tse,
Kevin, High Speed Passenger
Ferries of Hong Kong & Pearl River Delta,Soft
Republic Ltd, Kowloon, Hong
Kong, 2003, 144 pages, Language: Chinese (Traditional) ISBN:
962-86997-1-7, Suggested Price: HKD 158. Since the 1960s,
high speed passenger ferries have become an important means
of transport for commuters traveling among Hong Kong,
Macau, and the various river ports of the Pearl River Delta.
After decades of development, the region has become the
world's busiest high speed ferry market, hosting 15% of the
total world fleet. This is the first full color reference
book on the topic, featuring over 200 photos and coming with
a large amount of vessel information and specification
drawings from operators in the region and shipbuilders
around the world. As of Aug 03, this volume is available in
major bookshops in Hong Kong, but not yet listed with any
online stores. If anyone outside Hong Kong is interested in
obtaining a copy, contact
the author by email; he can
arrange to mail copies overseas.

Fock, Harald, Fast Fighting Boats,
1870 to 1945, Their Design, Construction, and Use, first
English edition, 1978 (originally in German 1973), Naval
Institute Press, Maryland USA, 304 pages with black and
white photos, illustrations and text, Organized into four
main sections: Part l. surveys the early attemps to build
small offensive boats carrying torpedoes and traces the
influence of racing motor boats on hull shape and engine
design. Part 2. development of faster boats, the Thornycroft
CMB's, and developments in the Italian navy, German,
Austro-Hungary and Russia. Part 3. period between the wars,
high powered desil engines, Britian hull design, motors of
the American Packard Company. Part 4 covers the war years
and traces the development of the British Motor Gun Boat,
the German heavier and more powerful boats with longer
ranges, hydrofoils, one man torpedo carriers, smaller fast
torpedo boats, torpedo boat carriers. much of this material
has never before been published and shows the ingenuity of
German designers of the time in their efforts to beat the
formidable British MGBs.

Marriott, Peter; The All Colour
Book of Super Machines. Published by Golden Press Pty
Ltd, Australia, 1986. ISBN 0 7302 0342 5. This 112 page book
aimed at children contains seven chapters dealing with land
machines, railways, space etc. As part of the 'sea machines'
chapter, there is a two page section addressing hydrofoils.
That section as well as the cover includes a photo of the
Boeing Jetfoil HMS SPEEDY and a colour photo of a Jetfoil
operated by Island Jetfoil is also included along with
illustrations of the different hydrofoil configurations. The
section on hydrofoils has a concluding remark: "It is now
thought that hydrofoils the size of destroyers can soon be
built, using some of the existing designs".

Marchaj, Czeslaw A., Sailing
Theory and Practice, Published by Dodd, Mead and Company
Inc., New York. Translated from Polish by L. Rusiecki. 1982
(New and Revised Second Edition). ISBN 0-396-08428-1. A
scientific analysis of the aerodynamics, hydrodynamics and
other design factors which define a yacht's behavior. This
book of 460 pages (including 335 drawings and photographs)
allocates only about four pages to hydrofoil sailing craft.
As far as hydrofoil sailboat experimenters would be
concerned, it is the detail in which other aspects of
sailboat hydrodynamics and aerodynamics are covered that
would be of most interest.

Marchaj, C. A., Aero-Hydrodynamics
of Sailing, Dodd, Mead and Company, 1980, 701 pages.
Description: "This sequel to the author's classic Sailing
Theory and Practice is an in-depth study of the forces
acting on a sailing yacht. For twenty years since
publication of his first book, Marchaj has researched and
analyzed problems that have developed in this field and has
now set them down in this technical, highly illustrated and
very authoritative volume. Examined here are the fundamental
factors governing a hull's behavior, the principles of aero
and hydrodynamics, and details of new research into the
behavior of sails." The major headings: Fundamental factors
governing yacht performance; Basic principles of
aero-hydrodynamics: aerofoil and hydrofoil action; Research
on sails: practical implications; Appendices;
Index

Gougeon, Meade & Ty Knoy, The
Evolution of Modern Sailboat Design. Illustrations
(drawings and diagrams) by Leon C. Stecker, hardback, 177
pages, Winchester Press, 1973, also, Sailboat Design:
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow by Meade Gougeon &
Tryus Knoy, NY: Collier Books, 1973. "Here is the book to
satisfy the average sailor's intelligent curiosity; a
readable and entertaining explanation of the evolution of
hulls and rigging from the earliest Egyptian square riggers
to the latest innovations in multihulls and ultralight
construction; aerodynamics and hydrodynamics as they apply
to sailboats; the mechanical principles of center of
gravity, center of balance, center of effort, and the way
these principles affect sailboat performance; the theory
behind movable masts, wing masts, and other modern
developments -- in short, here are clear, fully illustrated
answers to the technical questions of the sailor who doesn't
want to build a boat, but wants to know why boats are
designed and built the way they are." [flyleaf]
Contents: 1. Early Developments in Rigs and Hulls; 2. Less
Weight and More Speed; 3. Sailboats for Pleasure; 4. Small
Boats and New Ideas; 5. Design by the Rules; 6. Iceboat
Design ; 7. Rigs for Outracing the Wind; 8. Aerodynamics and
Draft Control ; 9. Catamarans and Trimarans; 10. Real Wind
and Apparent Wind; 11. Hydrofoils; 12. Modern Keelboats...
and Some Speculation; 13. Suggested Reading; 14. Index.
Meade Gougeon was a designer and professional builder of
boats. He won the North American Multihull Championship in
1969 with his Class C Trimaran Victor T. Meade and his
brothers also built iceboats. Tyrus Knoy was a pleasure
sailor, journalist, and freelance writer.

Smith,
Bernard, The 40 Knot
Sailboat, Grosset & Dunlap, Inc., Publishers, New
York NY, 1963, 140 pp, 52 illustrations. Library of Congress
No. 63-18980. "Definition of Aerohydrofoil: Stated in the
simplest possible terms, the machine for deriving the
ultimate in sailing speed consists of two vertical wings, an
inverted one in the water joined to an erect one in the air.
When coupled in this way the assembly may be likened to a
sailboat that has a sail and a centerboard, but no hull;
except that the sail is no longer a sail but an airfoil, and
the centerboard no longer a centerboard but a hydrofoil. In
fact it is no longer a traditional sailboat and therefore
has been renamed an areohydrofoil." The book is in three
parts, (1) History of the Sailboat Problem, (2) History of
the Aerohydrofoil (inventions at China Lake, Newport, and
Washington), (3) Technical Summary.

Pelly, David, Faster! Faster! The
Quest For Sailing Speed, Hearst Marine Books, New York,
1984. "The author traces the history of speed under sail
through the ages before looking in detail at the various
specialized speed-sailing craft." Contents: What has been
achieved; Who has sailed the fastest; Which designs have
worked, and which have not; Speed in the great races of
history; The story behind the speed trials; The onslaught of
multi-hulls; Hydrofoil record breakers; Flying surfboards;
CROSSBOW, the first great speed machine; History of
world sailing; Speed records.

Alexander, Alan J., James L. Grogono,
and Donald J. Nigg; Hydrofoil Sailing; Juanita
Kalerghi, London, Publisher of Hovering Craft and
Hydrofoil, The Curwen Press, Plaistow, London, 1972,
ISBN 0 903238 00 4. Covers the full range of design
considerations for hydrofoil sailboats in an easy-to-read
format. "The authors have pooled their technical knowledge
to provide details of the relevant theory and then shown how
to put this theory into practice. They have contacted all
those active in the field and received detailed accounts
from most. The book emphasizes the 'mainstream' of
successful foil sailing, but also includes accounts of
unusual developments." Contents: 1. Why Hydrofoils?; 2.
Fully Submerged Hydrofoils; 3. Surface-Piercing Hydrofoils;
4. Roll and Yaw Stability; 5. Vertical and Pitching
Stability; 6. Practical Foil Design; 7. Canard
Configuration; 8. Catamaran Configuration; 9. Aeroplane and
Asymmetric Configurations. Includes a Selected Bibliography
and References, also good photos and info for those
interested in Gordon Baker's sailing hydrofoil
MONITOR.

Norwood, Joseph Jr., PhD, High Speed Sailing -
Design Factors - A Study of High-Performance Multihull Yacht Design,
Dodd, Mead & Co., New York, 1979, 135 pages. "Small inshore
foil-borne sailing boats and multihulls have developed rapidly, and
the technology is now being extended to ocean going craft. The
author examines the question of foils, hulls and rigs for larger
vessels, discusses safety and seakeeping, hull resistance,
materials, leeboards, self steering without vane gear, and
performance prediction. There are final chapters on multihulls,
proas and specific recommendations. The resurgence of commercial
sail gives added interest to this book, which represents a technical
and scientific consideration of the design of high performance
sailing craft of all sizes. It is an important addition to the
bibliography of high speed sailing, whether for record, pleasure or
commercial purposes." Chapters include: The Physics of Fast Sailing;
Hulls and Outriggers; Structural Design; Sails and Lateral
Stability; Lateral Plane and Rudders; Hydrofoil Applications; Safety
and Seakeeping; Performance Prediction; Catamarans; Trimarans; Proas;
There are four appendices and an index.

Sailing Hydrofoils,
AYRS
Publication No. 74. October 1970. Published for the
Amateur
Yacht Research Society by John
Morwood, Hythe, England. This 288 page book of approximately
A5 size and in softback format covers a large range of
sailing hydrofoil designs and related concepts and includes
numerous black and white photos, arrangement drawings,
sketches and graphs. The cover illustration is of Dave
Keiper's WILLIWAW. As indicated in the editorial of
the book: "In 1955, when AYRS
was formed, the members were given a challenge. They were
told that people had sailed their boats off the water, being
lifted by underwater "wings", called "hydrofoils". We showed
them photographs of the Baker hydrofoils "flying". We also
told them that it was possible to stabilise a single, narrow
hull with hydrofoils and again showed photographs. This book
shows how our ingenious members took up this
challenge..."

AYRS publishes 2-4 cutting edge
yachting and boating technology booklets/year, covering
subjects as diverse as hydrofoils and offshore junk rigs,
wind vanes and winged keels. A searchable
index of past AYRS publications
(compiled by Fiona Sinclair), along with
instructions for how to obtain copies,
can be found from the AYRS website. Additionally, you
can Click
Here to view an index of
hydrofoil topics. Each listing in this index cites the issue
number, page number(s) and author(s) for the article
addressing the topic.

Keiper, David A., Hydrofoil
Voyager, Hinsdale Press. This is how David Keiper
designed and built the 31'4" sailing yacht WILLIWAW,
then logged almost 20,000 miles of cruising around the
Pacific to test and fine tune the design. You'll never get
closer to boat building, open-ocean sailing, and
hydrofoiling without actually doing it yourself. Keiper
tells his own story, and the precision of his telling 
he seems to recall every wave, squall, and leak  pulls
you into the adventure with him. Read, and you are there,
thrilled as the hull surges up to sprint on its foils;
impatient as the sea goes flat in a dying wind; inventive as
some new crisis presents itself for a solution hundreds of
miles from land. Dave Keiper died of a heart attack on 27
Jun 98 at the age of 67. His book is currently out of print.
If you are interested in a reprint or a scanned electronic
version being made available, contact Frank Keiper; 1398
Thunderbird Ave.; Sunnyvale CA 94087; phone: 408-247-2481;
email: dak.hydrofoils@home.com;
website: http://www.wingo.com/dakh/.
To read the review of this book from the IHS newsletter,
Click
Here.

Lien, Neil C., MONITOR Hydrofoil Sailboat, Design
in Review, soft-cover, self-published 2004. The book details
hydrofoil design developments of the Baker Manufacturing Company,
with a focus on the MONITOR, developed with US Navy backing,
one of the earliest successful sailing hydrofoil designs. The book
also covers the earlier developmental towed hydrofoil boat,
hydrofoil runabout, and smaller scale 16-foot hydrofoil sailboat
built by the company. The 61 page soft cover book includes 19
drawings and sketches of various elements of the MONITOR design
covering the foils, hull, sail and control arrangements. Also
contained in the book are 25 photos of MONITOR and other
Baker hydrofoil craft. The back cover features a screen shot from a
simulation by Hanno Smits. Intro: “When sailing ‘E’ Scows on Lake
Mendota, Gordon Baker conceived the idea of putting hydrofoils on a
sailboat to drastically increase speed by lifting the hull above the
water. When he returned in 1938 to Baker Manufacturing Company in
Evansville, WI after a stint of 10 years at Westinghouse Research
Laboratories, he instigated a program for his engineering department
to research and design such a boat.” MONITOR was first sailed
on 24 Aug 55 on Lake Mendota, Madison, WI, and a pace boat clocked
her at 25 knots. In October of the following year she was paced at
30.4 knots. It was reported that MONITOR attained speed to
true wind speed ratios of just over 2.0, and at times unofficial
boat speed measurements close to 40 knots were observed. U.S. Navy
backing of MONITOR was motivated by its objective to learn
more about the foil structural characteristics and construction
methods used by Baker. After Neil re-discovered the craft in a
deteriorated condition when he returned to Baker Manufacturing Co.
in 1974, he and others in the company restored the craft. Today,
MONITOR is on display at the Mariner’s Museum “Small Boat
Exhibits” outbuilding in Newport News, VA.

Grogano, James, ICARUS, the Boat That Flies,
Adlard Coles Ltd London,1987, pp128, ISBN 0-229-11803-8. About the
10 year success story of the sailing hydrofoil catamaran ICARUS,
holder of the B Class World Speed Record, including hydrofoil
designs and principles from ocean going boats to hydrofoil
sailboards. It is also the story of the man behind ICARUS and how he
developed this amazing yacht over 30 years."

Abbott, Allan V. and David Gordon
Wilson, Human-Powered Vehicles. According to Ron Drynan,
"This book has a very detailed chapter on human powered
hydrofoil boats, written by Dr. Allan Abbott, co-builder of
the FLYING FISH series of boats. You will find
just about all the calculations needed for human-powered
hydrofoils in this book." Editorial Review From Book
News, Inc.: "From the earliest representations of
paddle boats to technical drawings of the latest version of
the Gossamer aircraft, a comprehensive reference to on
human-powered vehicles, focusing mostly on the advances in
the past few years. Sections cover the biomechanics of the
human body and its application to machines, watercraft, land
vehicles, aircraft, and the economic and technological
potential. Highly illustrated with black and white
photographs, drawings, reproductions, diagrams, and graphs."
Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or. This book
can be ordered through
Amazon.com.

Musciano, Walter A, Building and
Operating Model Ships, Funk & Wagnalls Co., 1965, 189 pgs. also, Robert Hale & Co., approx
1970. This book presents a comprehensive description of all
phases of model ship construction and operation. Regardless
of age anyone can learn and enjoy ship modeling by
following the clear instructions. Models covered are an
excursion steamer a 1970s trainship, a hydrofoil speedboat,
diving submarines, a river tugboat and barge, and a
radio-controlled model of the atomic liner SAVANNAH.
Special care was taken to avoid the need for intricate
machine tools and only a few simple hand tools are
required.

Walters, Eric, The Hydrofoil Mystery,
Puffin Books, Penguin
Group, Toronto, Ontario
Canada, 2000, ISBN 0-14-130220-8, pp 211. Youth fiction. "It
is 1915, and Canada is embroiled in the First World War. The
East Coast is under threat from German U-boats that are
sinking ships and endangering coastal towns. It all seems
very far away from the life of fifteen-year-old William
McCracken -- a Halifax lad who has developed a taste for
gambling and tough ways. William thinks he has a summer of
mischief ahead of him until he discovers that his mother has
arranged for him to spend the season working with and
inventor by the name of Alexander Graham Bell. In a Nova
Scotia outport, Bell and his crew are at work on his latest
invention -- a hydrofoil boat that will help the Allies
defend the coast from the German danger. But there's a deadly
menace hovering over the projects and, suddenly, William
finds his 'boring' summer job transformed into an
action-packed race to solve a terrifying
mystery."

Dixon, Franklin W., and George Wilson,
Mystery of the Flying Express, ISBN: 0448089203,
Grosset & Dunlap, 1970, original publication date:
01/01/1941, Pages: 180, boys' fiction. After the new
hydrofoil they are guarding is stolen, the Hardy Boys face
frequent danger in solving a mystery involving criminals who
operate by signs of the zodiac. A sleek new hydrofoil is
scheduled to start ferrying passengers between Bayport and
Cape Cutlass. But business enemies of the hydrofoil owner
have stirred up a hornet's nest of violent opposition among
small boat owners. Fearing sabotage, he begs Frank and Joe
Hardy to guard the Flying Express on her maiden trip.
Startling developments plunge the teenage-detectives into a
dangerous chase by sea, air, and land in pursuit of a gang
of hardened criminals who operate by the signs of the
Zodiac. The Hardys' close pal Chet Morton tries to help them
by using his newly acquired knowledge of astrology. Tension
mounts when the Flying Express vanishes - and so does Sam
Radley, Mr. Hardy's skilled operative. Has Radley been
kidnapped? Is he a prisoner aboard the stolen hydrofoil?
Peril stalks Frank and Joe's every move as they hunt down
the terrifying gang leader Zodiac Zig and his vicious
henchmen. Frank Hardy, the older brother, briefly rehearses
the history and physics of hydrofoil travel (invented by
Enrico Forlanini in 1906). On the path of the saboteurs, the
boys and their allies use their own fancy motorboat, their
chum's old jalopy, a rented four-seat airplane which Frank
pilots, and a rented motorcycle. Perhaps significantly, one
of the opponents drives a foreign sports car. As with other
books in the Hardy Boy series, close calls and minor mishaps
punctuate the chase.

Dixon, Franklin W., A Figure in
Hiding, series number 16, which finds the Hardy boys in
another exciting story, this time solving the theft of a
valuable oriental idol, involved with a fabulous hydrofoil
speedboat, and solving the disappearance of a prime suspect
.

Knox, Bill, Blueback, A Webb
Carrick Mystery, Published for The Crime Club in 1969 by
Doubleday & Co., New York. Hardcover, 176 pages. A
mystery story involving the sinking of a fishing vessel off
the Brannan Islands and the subsequent murder of its
survivors. Chief Officer Carrick finds himself involved with
a pretty woman, prawn poachers, moonshiners, a strange
hydrofoil boat, and a very deliberate killer.

Preston, Anthony, Strike Craft,
Bison Books LTD Greenwich CT, 1982, Chapter 6 "Hovercraft
and Hydrofoils," pp 48-63. "The fast moving story of strike
craft is written by the outstanding British naval historian
Anthony Preston. His lively text is enhanced by many color
and black-and-white illustrations. Preston is regarded as
one of the world's leading authorities on navies, ships, and
war at sea."

McLeavy, Roy, Naval Fast Strike
Craft And Patrol Boats, Blandford Press Ltd., Poole,
Dorset. 1979, 176 pages with about 65 pages of Color
illustrations. Book measures 7-3/4 inches (19.7 cm) high by
5-1/4 inches (13.5 cm) wide. Text from the dust jacket: "At
no time in history have the navies of the world had so
varied an assortment of warships and weapons at their
disposal. Not only are today's warships more powerful,
faster and more seaworthy than in the past, but the weight
of their offensive fire-power has increased to such an
extent that they bear scant resemblance to their
predecessors. Fast strike craft pack a weapon which has
revolutionized naval warfare -- the anti-ship missile. These
vessels can launch these highly lethal weapons at a distance
of up to fifty miles from their quarry, then turn and escape
at 40 knots or more while the missiles are still hurtling
towards the target at wave-top height, just below the speed
of sound. For the first time in naval conflict one of the
smallest surface combatants can engage with the largest
fleet units on almost equal terms. Fast strike craft also
enable the smallest nations to threaten the sea
communications of the major powers at relatively low cost.
Fast Strike Craft and Patrol Boats examines a wide
range of small warships -- missile craft, fast patrol boats,
torpedo-boats and fast gunboats -- either in or about to
enter service with the world's navies. This book provides
both a recognition guide and the essential technical detail
on these vessels and includes information on their
powerplants, defensive weapons, surface-to-surface missiles
and their guidance systems. Roy McLeavy is editor and
compiler of Jane's Surface Skimmers. A technical and
marketing consultant for Air Cushion Vehicle (ACV) and
hydrofoil projects, he is also the author of several books
on aviation and kindred subjects. "

Ross, Al, "Air Ships For Early
Warning," Warship 1989, Vol. VIII, editor Robert
Gardiner, ISBN 0-85177-530-6. Warship is an annual
publication devoted to the design, development and service
history of the world's combat ships. The contributors are
well-known authorities and so detailed and accurate
information is the keynote of all the articles - fully
supported by plans, tables and photographs.

Brown, D.K., "Historic Hydrofoils of
the Royal Navy," Warship 1980, Vol. IV, contains
issues 13 - 16, Naval Institute Press and Conway Maritime
Press. 5- page article with six photos and one diagram. Two
of the photographs are old. One shows a experimental
hydrofoil from the Italian army built in 1906 and the other
older picture shows a British hydrofoil from 1939. The rest
of the pictures are from the late 1970s.

Duff, CAPT Karl M., Still Master of
the Sea, Vantage Press, 1989, soft cover, 152 pages.
This is Capt. Karl M. Duff's own story of his personal
relation with God and of his heroic struggle to overcome the
unexpected disasters that threatened the Navy's first
production hydrofoil leadship project, USS PEGASUS
(PHM-1), and of the invisible hand that guided and supported
that effort! Includes 23 chapters. Also includes several
black-and-white photos!

More Book Titles (No Photo
Available)...

Lehburger, Egon, Hovercraft and Hydrofoils Work Like This,
1970, J. M. DENT, London, 62 pages indexed, 53 line drawings by
Charles Green. The story of the hydrofoil (which started before
the first aeroplane flew). Reprinted in 1972. ISBN: 0460064169

Yevtikheyev, G. V. and Tarasyuk, N. V., Russia's River
Shipping, Moscow: Rosrechflot, (1991) Large 4to. (11.5 by 10.5
inches) 144 Pages text entirely in English, color photographs
illustrating every page. Folding map with overlay in center of
book. Rosrechflot is the Central Bureau of Scientific and
Technical Information of the Russia's State River Fleet. The book
discusses and illustrates the earliest vessels to today's
hydrofoils with illustrations and background information. Partial
contents include the first Slavic Ships, Ladya type boats,
Flat-Bottomed boat development, The First Boats of the "barka"
type, Shipbuilding on the Volga during the reign of Catherine the
Great, "cabestans" = Steamboats of the middle 19th century,
"Touer", Passenger fleets, Shipping Companies, First river school
on the Volga, Inland waterways of Russia from the old time to the
present century, Moscow, Along the Volga, Along the Don River, the
Oka River, The Belaya and Kama Rivers, Across Karelia, the Onega,
Along the Svir River, The Ladoga Lake, Leningrad, Along tne
Severnaya Dvina, Along the Ob and Irtysh Rivers, ALong the Yehisey
River, Along the Baikal, Along the Lena River, Along the Amur
River, Passenger displacement ships and hovercrafts and
hydrofoils.

Praeger, R. Thurelsen, The Grumman Story, 1976, 401pp
-- The story of Leroy Grumman and his aircraft company, which
started in 1930 with only 21 employees. Photos, facts &
figures on all Grumman aircraft, hydrofoils, and the lunar
module.

Serling, Robert J., Legend and Legacy, the Story of Boeing
and Its People, St. Martin's Press, 1992, 480 pages with more
than 2 dozen photos

Mead, Tom, Manly Ferries of Sydney Harbour -- The Seven
Mile Ships, 1988, Child Associates of NSW, Australia. The 182
pages tell of the early paddlewheeler days of the ferries; the era
of the Port Jackson and Manly Steamship Company, that bought the DEE WHY,
CURL CURL, and SOUTH STEYNE;
the decline of the ferries; their recent return to popularity; and
the hydrofoils now in use. But this is also a human story, as it
relates the dramatic events that happened to the ships and the men
who manned them Throughout, there are paintings of the ferries by
John Allcot and Fred Elliott, and also a selection of black and
white photographs depicting all sides of ferry travel to and from
Manly since the beginning of the Tourist Trade.

Baker, J.G., The Flying Sailboat published by Office of Naval
Research, Dept. of the Navy (1957) (no details available)

We need more references... can YOU
suggest any? Can you provide a scan of the cover and an abstract
or brief description? Thanks!

IHS is not a source for copies of the references
cited above except where otherwise noted. If any library would like
to start a special collection of hydrofoil reference material, IHS
would like to hear from you... it is possible that we could assist in
starting and building your collection.